2015 Canada Games Begin

Team Nova Scotia will join athletes from across the country tonight to kickoff the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C.

The opening ceremony begins at 11 p.m., Nova Scotia time (7 p.m. in B.C.) and will be broadcast live by TSN. Photos will be available after the ceremony at www.teamnovascotia.ca .

Athletes competing in the first week of the Games will participate in the ceremony with more than 180 performers from northern British Columbia.

Amherst's Carly Jackson will lead Team Nova Scotia into Prince George's CN Centre as the team's flag bearer. Ms. Jackson is a goalie who recently won silver with Team Canada at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women's World Championship in Buffalo.

The Canada Games cauldron will be lit at the opening ceremony by 13 lanterns that were presented to each province and territory during the cross-country torch relay leading up to the Games.

Ringette captain Kirsti Mason, from Cole Harbour, will carry the lantern for Nova Scotia. Ms. Mason is in the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame after winning gold with Canada East at the World Ringette Championships in 2013. She also competed in the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Nova Scotia.

"We have 225 impressive young athletes representing Nova Scotia over the next two weeks," said Chef de Mission, Mark Smith. "There are tough competitions ahead, and I am looking forward to getting started by celebrating the hard work that has led our athletes to the Canada Games at tonight's opening ceremony."

Nova Scotia will take part in the first competition of the Games, as the ringette team faces hometown British Columbia on Saturday morning.

"We're really excited to set the tone for Team Nova Scotia," said ringette player, Laura Patterson from Dartmouth. "This is a huge game for us and a win would help show how the Canada Games could go for our team."

Along with ringette, Team Nova Scotia will compete in long-track speed skating, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, and women's hockey on Saturday. Archery, artistic gymnastics, biathlon, men's curling, short-track speed skating, target shooting and wheelchair basketball will also take place during the first week.

Athletes competing in the second week of the Canada Games will arrive in Prince George next weekend.

Information on the 2015 Canada Winter Games, the opening ceremony and competition schedules can be found at www.canadagames2015.ca .